Mallory Tolcher
Mallory Tolcher is an interdisciplinary artist specializing in sculpture and installation. Her work explores the nuances and quiet moments of sport and athletics through a female lens. Drawing inspiration from fashion and basketball culture, Tolcher balances softness and strength through a variety of mediums such as flowers, textiles, wood, and metal. Her work has been exhibited across Canada and internationally, installed in women-owned businesses such as The Sports Bra and Makeway, and has been featured in various sports publications and media sources such as the WNBA, NBA Canada TV, The GIST, Round21, Sportsnet, Canada Basketball, Flagrant, Overseas, and CBC Sports.
Artist Statement
As an artist and athlete, I am interested in challenging societal norms and redefining femininity within the traditionally male-dominated realm of sport. In my series Post Up, I reimagine the conventional basketball net through the intricate and domestic medium of crocheted lace. Lacework and crochet have long been integral to women’s creative expression, serving as profound forms of artistic craftsmanship that were often overlooked within patriarchal systems. Like basketball, lacework allows for creativity, improvisation, and skill within a structured arena, making it a powerful medium for rethinking the boundaries of sport and femininity.
Drawing inspiration from historical lacework techniques, motifs, and intricate basketball plays, each net in Post Up is meticulously handcrafted with white thread, creating delicate designs that play off the traditional form and color of standard basketball mesh. By integrating these domestic and labor-intensive practices into the hyper-masculine world of basketball, I aim to unravel ingrained perceptions of softness and strength, emphasizing the power inherent in both. Through this fusion of craft and sport, I invite viewers to reconsider the intersections of gender, labor, and athleticism while exploring the beauty of creativity and skill in unexpected spaces.
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